At the start of this season, Manchester United are one of the favourites considered to win the Premier League title. The club finished outside the top four last season and the summer arrival of Jose Mourinho appeared to have boosted their chances. However with almost half of the season gone, the club doesn’t look it and the top four finish seems to be their only hope.

They had a bright start to the season but a run of poor results have pushed them out of the title race. They are nine points behind leader Chelsea and are six points off the top four. Winning the league look insurmountable for United now with their current form. The team lack consistency and composure under Jose Mourinho. Even finishing in the top four may elude them unless they change their approach to their games.

The Reds have not been clinical and have dropped points from winning positions. They dropped points again against Arsenal like in other matches that they have dominated, leaving  them with just five wins from 12 league games this season.

They now lack the killer instincts that have brought success in previous years. Their failure to kill off games this season affected their position on the league table.

The team is not playing well and they are not gel together. Continuous rotation of the team and injuries to the players are also affecting them. Likewise the public lashing of players by Jose Mourinho has also dampened their confidence.

Missing out on a spot in the Champions League for another season will be a better pill for them to swallow. Other teams will definitely drop points but it is not certain if United will take advantage of that to close the gap.

To be optimistic, there are still 26 games to be played, and right recruits in the January transfer window may help push them towards the title but winning it maybe a little difficult.